Such a great issue! Saladin Ahmed really has Bishop, and Shard’s voices down. Mario Santoro & Reese Hannigan are amazing artists. We meet Skipping Stone in his issue, and I really noticed how great Federico Blee’s coloring is. And of course, VC’s Travis Lanham’s lettering is top notch.
Bishop spends most of the issue in shock that Shard is really here, and I love how he just knows in his heart that this is actually his sister. I have a head canon that Bishop being in the present, is changing his future, and that’s how Shard is alive. They defeat Flamequake, a mix of Pyro and Avalanche, but not before she sends out a distress signal. Skipping Stone arrives, a guy dressed as Toad, but with Fred Dukes’ powers, so he can jump far and high, but also land heavy, like a bomb, a great power set. He reveals that he has to focus on an attack to stop an attack, which felt like a very old school delivery, which I loved.
Bishop was just about to warn Shard about the trap that gets her killed, but is attacked by Skipping Stone.
I also really loved that Shard is not impressed that Bishop joined the legendary X-Men, and just went by his last name. Silly Bishop.
Issue ends with Shard about to be killed by Skipping Stone. Bishop really has to get his head in the game.
Variant Cover Erik Larsen & Edgar Delgado, Cyborgs Spider-Man & Superman
I have to say, this is exactly what I want in these crossovers. Good main story, and the backups have a fun mix of characters. Nothing, besides the main story, overstays its welcome, and even that, maybe just be three pages shorter so we can get another backup?
Our Kryptonite
Spider-Man & Superman
Writer Brad Meltzer
Artist Pepe Larraz
Color Artist Matthew Wilson
Letterer Clayton Cowles
This comic looks gorgeous, and how could it not be drawn and colored by Larraz and Wilson?
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Spider-Man & Superman wake up together. Superman isn’t at the top of his game, as he’s being poisoned by Kryptonite. Spider-Man doesn’t know what that is, maybe it is like adamantium? Which is cute.
Superman wastes no time x-raying Spider-Man’s waist area to discover an old watch Spider-Man keeps on his belt. Which seems like the worst place for that, with how often Spider-Man is thrown through buildings. But sure.
Spider-Man and Superman exchange some opening jokes which is fun. Superman isn’t great at it, but he’s also poisoned.
They are fighting Lex Luthor and Green Goblin. We get a terrific Spider-Man holding up rubble sequence that we love to see. Spider-Man needs a distraction, which Superman isn’t great with, so asks about motivation. Spider-Man is racked with guilt, that’s what keeps him going.
The Venom symboite is there, for some reason, and Superman and Spider-Man exchange some memories. Then we get Venom-man, which is cool. We also see that Brianiac, Doctor Octopus, Electro, Parasite, Doomsday, and Rhino are there. So, a Sinister Six, plus two, situation.
Still bugs me we didn’t get Michael Keaton in Spider-Man No Way Home, the one chance we had at a live action Sinister Six, and we didn’t get it.
I like Superman using his own heat vision to start the process of getting the symbiote off of him. Then a Hulk inspired thunder clap, and Superman is fully back.
The day is saved.
Queens, New York. Three Weeks Later. Peter Parker is at Uncle Ben’s grave, and gets a visit there by Clark Kent. He keeps a pair of his father’s glasses with him at all times. Which also seems like a bad place for it, with how often he’s thrown through a building.
That Evening. Peter and Aunt May are invited to Smallville? Seems like expensive tickets, but they get a meal with the Kents, so Jonathan is alive, but I guess it is an old pair of glasses.
Ma Kent and May Parker arm wrestle, so that’s fun.
“Metropolis Marvels” Spider-Man Noir & Superman Dan Slot (A) Marcos Martin (CA) Muntsa Vicente (L) VC’s Joe Caramagna
I really like the idea of 30s Spider-Man teaming up with 30s Superman, that’s a fun idea. They are fighting businessman Lex Luthor, who has framed J. Jonah Jameson as the kingpin of crime.
We are treated to a very fun Amazing Fantasy 15 homage, with Superman holding Lex Luthor.
No one lifted a car in this segment.
“Sweethearts”
Gwen Stacy & Lana Lang
Writer Joe Kelly
Artist Humberto Ramos
Color Artist Edgar Delgado
Letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna
Gwen Stacy & Lana Lang at Empire State University, New York. They are talking about their similarities and differences, as well as those things about the men in their lives, Peter Parker and Clark Kent.
Superman fights Sandman, and Spider-Man fights Metallo. I think.
Lana redeems all red heads for Gwen, which is cute.
Clark shows up, covered in sand, and Peter shows up all wet. Which is funny.
“Identity War”
Mysterio vs Superman featuring The Thing (and more)
Writer Geoff Johns
Artist Gary Frank
Color Artist Brad Anderson
Letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna
Mysterio and Saturn Queen are making everybody angry with a rage-powered red lantern.
I like that we get a segment with the ever loving blue eye Thing! He has to fight off the Legion of Superheroes.
Spider-Man & Jessica Drew Spider-Woman fight off the Legionnaires.
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Grimm says Cloak & Dagger are X-Force, fighting in Gotham. I’ll chalk this to either (1) Thing doesn’t know who X-Force is, or who Cloak or Dagger are, or (2) Gary Frank doesn’t know, and no one caught it, or (3), the captions and art are not supposed together, as having the Legion of Superheroes and Legionnaires, doesn’t make sense either.
But we also get Power Pack at titans Tower, and we see Miles Morales Spider-Man fighting maybe Rewind and Reel?
Of course, you can’t have a story about people getting angry, and not feature the Hulk.
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Superboy punches Fred Dukes, but doesn’t move him, I like that.
The gathered heroes are – Captain America, Stargirl, Superman, She-Hulk, Hal Jordan Green Lantern, and Thing. So a great group of heroes.
They all fight the Hulk, except for Superman, who is trying to calm Hulk down. The sun is getting real low.
Superman tells Thing that it isn’t always clobbering time, which feels like a real jerk thing to say. Now Ben has to think about that every time before he says it?
I do like the story ending with Ben and Banner eating doughnuts.
“Ghosting”
Hobgoblin vs Steel
Writer Louise Simonson
Artist Todd Nauck
Color Artist Rachelle Rosenberg
Letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna
I love whenever Todd Nauck and Rachelle Rosenberg work together, so you know this story looks perfect.
For anyone who might thing Steel is just a guy with a hammer, he’s super smart too, as Hobgoblin keeps trying, but failing, to outsmart him with the tech he’s trying to steal. Or steel.
There is another guy known for a hammer, and we get Thor to help out, which was quite the surprise.
They click hammers like hammer bros do.
“Remarkable”
Ghost Spider & Supergirl
Writer Stephanie Phillips
Artist Phil Noto
Letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna
This was very fun. Is Ghost Spider the type of person to want autographs? That seems more like a Ms. Marvel thing, but Stephanie Phillips would know. She is hoping to see Superman, but gets Supergirl in Metropolis. They don’t get along, which as a reader, I just figure this is how it starts, but we’ll see at the end, them being friends.
They fight Livewire, who seems like a fun villain to pick. Reminds me of the animated series with Supergirl and Batgirl.
Noto does a great drawing everybody, as he does.
Story ends with Supergirl signing the autograph book in a fun callback to the story.
“The One Thing”
Miles Morales & Superman
Writer Brian Michael Bendis
Artist Sara Pichelli
Color Artist Federico Blee
Letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna
This was also a fun story. Miles is bored, then sees a giant explosion. Superman asks for his name, he gives his real name, and oh, Miles. Brianiac is attacking the city, and Superman teaches Miles the most important lesson, showing up is the right thing to do.
This was very short, but tells the full story in like three pages.
“The Wondrous & The Worthy” Symbiotes in Metropolis Jason Aaron (A) Russell Dauterman (CA) Matthew Wilson (L) VC’s Joe Caramagna
Jane Thorster, who must be early in her career as the new Thor, is fighting off symbiotes. Wonder Woman shows up to help. I like Jane having the thought of “say something cool,” and all that comes out is “you’re Wonder Woman.” Which I imagine she gets a lot.
Darkseid has a mix of symbiotes and his cronies.
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Dauterman gets the chance of draw some of his favorites, is what I imagine the script called for. We get – Batman (with packed in sword), Ghost Spider, Superman, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Man (the Peter one), Supergirl, John Stewart Green Lantern, and Wolverine, the boy one.
“One of Those Days”
Spider-Man & Superman
Writer Jeph Loeb
Artist Jim Cheung
Color Artist Jay David Ramos
Letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna
This was an interesting choice to end on. Must be days after Gwen’s death, and Spider-Man is having “one of those days.” Superman shows up, and offers some Pa Kent observations. You are born, and you die, neither are up to you. It is what you do that matters.
And you’ll eventually feel better, better is good, but there will be good days, and bad days.
I got both the regular cover by Stefano Caselli & Federico Blee, and the Mahmud Asrar variant with Kitty & Lockheed (who doesn’t appear this issue, nor does Marigold, so she’s already living up his legacy).
Graymatter Lane. A Mind Palace Situated on the Psychic Plane.
Ben Liu, who is getting more page time in these two issues than he’s gotten in X-MEN, is trying not to get burned alive.
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I love seeing Magik and Nightcrawler chatting. These two barely have history together, but I immediately remember that time Magik was hoping up portals for Kurt during AXE Judgment Day. That was a great moment.
I looked all over the background here to see if Bronze & Marigold could be found, but nope.
I still like how this is the comic that is going to deliver us match ups we wouldn’t go elsewhere.
Cyclops finally gets to Ben. Emma tells Scott that this was all for nothing, there was no reason to attempt to burn down the school. Plus, how does that even work? Emma states everyone is at lunch, so no one is noticing this fire. Which I thought we would get a panel where Emma immediately shuts down the fire, but it doesn’t seem to be doing any harm.
Quentin Quire is actually the person who started the fire, so his track record of failed school destructions is now 0-2.
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I love seeing the bookcase in the back here. The Weapon X helmet, Jean’s yellow mask, and one of Storm’s tiaras. That’s a fun background detail.
Meanwhile. Prodigy is trying to get Iceman & Kitty Pryde involved in how to teach combat teamwork. Kitty is distracted by Rogue’s comments about internal threats. Which is odd, as half the school is on fire, but I guess she really didn’t notice. Plus, the real threat is from Mister Sinister, unless the X-Office keeps him pretty busy, which I believe they are, but we’ll get to that later. (He’s busy over in Inglorious X-Force 4).
I like Emma talking about whatever did she see in Scott, but also, I love Scemma, but it is fun to poke at the relationship.
Iceman references Scott’s flame war, so what is Kitty distracted by?
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Captain America stops by, as he has a mission for the X-Men. Iceman starts talking like he’s from the 30s, which I imagine Cap doesn’t love.
He wants to use the Empathy Engine to reach out to all of the Weapon Plus people, and make sure they are okay.
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Kitty is surprised that Cap knows about the machine, which does have a pretty cool name. Empathy Engine.
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I don’t love Emma having to try to convince them to get on board here. It is Captain America, asking for help, and it doesn’t even seem like a big ask.
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I do like Kitty and Magneto chatting. I know they were on the Quiet Council together, but it feels like forever since these two actually talked to each other.
I imagine Cap does make Kitty think about WWII, and all that deals with it, and her talking to Magneto, immediately, is there to make us think about those implications.
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I don’t care for the idea that the X-Men have to have a meeting to help Cap out. Maybe if it was to strategize about how to do it, but to vote on it? I’m not sure about.
Emma and Prodigy vote, yes. Iceman votes, no. Kitty abstains, which all of this feels weird.
Prodigy is going to pick the team, so that’s fun.
Prodigy picks Wolverine, as she’s the best, Melee, who I love, and apparently in the 50s, the Bureau of Indian Affairs moved her family to Chicago, so she’s motivated, and Jitter! Quite the trio of brunettes here.
I like how the 50s feels like long enough ago that it doesn’t call into question any sliding timescale stuff. Unlike the 80s, that feels like it would question the sliding timescale.
I also like how one of Laura’s strongest character points is how much she hates people being experimented on, especially against their will.
Jitter is a wild card
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I like how impress Cap is with this team.
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I do like Kitty and Beast being in the same room. Though this isn’t her Beast, so these two need to really connect, and rebuild that relationship.
Now, if the X-Men voted after this scene, that’ll make so much more sense to me.
Beast states it is possible to do the mission, but there are some major issues of gaps and errors to be accounted for. Axo doesn’t want to do it as there are gaps and errors that haven’t been accounted for. As far as we have seen, this will only be the second major test of the Empathy Engine.
I guess in my mind, the thing worked by sending out a pulse, and then the X-Men connect to it, and we go from there. Like, they think “rescue kid,” and the engine links up to the kid. So, to make this work, they send a pulse of “all thoughts involving Weapon Plus,” and anyone having those thoughts and memories, gathers, and links are made. That doesn’t seem to be the case here. Maybe because they are creating a mind palace so they can interact with it? Maybe? This could just be a case of comic book science, and of course, a world of fiction, so a problem has to happen.
So cute the hand holding here. Melee holds Jitter’s hand, who is holding Captain America’s hand, and he is holding Laura’s hand.
Jitter has her stutter here, but she seems overly scared, which makes me think that’s more of a Calico character trait. Jitter recognizes she’s in a haunted house, and is worried about dying.
I do like her wanting to hold Melee’s hands, though I don’t love that for Becca. But this also makes me feel like something Becca would want to do, find a strong lady, and hold her hand, and not necessarily what Jitter would do.
Cap comes across a young Maurice Canfield, but then he immediately turns old and evil.
I love this issue so much! It just feels like a continuation of Exceptional X-Men, but on a larger scale.
Issue opens with Emma Frost inviting everyone to Graymatter Lane. We get a look at some of the mutants Emma invited – Gabby Kinney, Storm, 70s Beast, Gambit, Vulcan (maybe?), Jitter, Jubilee, Jamie Maddox, Oya, Shark Girl, Bishop, and Magneto.
Kitty Pryde and Nightcrawler talking, which I miss these two together so much! She’s explaining all of the virtues of Graymatter Lane.
I spotted Calico and Ember walking around!
We get Magik for the one panel she appears in.
Emma explains the goal of Graymatter Lane. Prodigy is the Dean of Curriculum, which is a nice continuation of his NYX plotline.
Kitty missed out on most of Emma’s speech, and Bobby gives her a playful hard time about it. These two are fun together.
Cyclops has a real jerk moment here, as he’s afraid of this many mutants being gathered together. It is NOT reassuring that this entire exercise is powered by Mister Sinister technology. Even though Emma and Axo have worked out all of the kinks with the technology. This is the part that does feel like we’re already building in the self-destruction of the concept. If they have to cancel the book early, this is how they’ll do it.
I do love and appreciate Kitty standing up to Scott, he’s not her leader anymore, they’re equals.
I really really like that Scott left the room, and Kitty followed him out, she’s not done talking to him.
We get the new Danger Room, which is awkward now that there’s an evil Danger Room, well, there’s a Robotic Danger, but also the MacKay Danger Room, and now this Danger Room. There’s some branding situation.
Aminalia and Ben Liu from X-MEN are being trained with the students, which the awkwardness of their age differences, them being practical adults, and them being teenagers, is addressed pretty quickly. They both do need training, and clearly Cyclops isn’t putting in the time.
Are we supposed to know Dryad, Flourish, Loolo, and Galura? They seem new to me. Woofer, we know from the Fall of X, Kate Pryde talked to him on Arrako. Loolo is also from Arrako.
I looked them up.
Dryad first appeared in New X-Men V2 1 (2004).
Flourish first appeared in Storm V3 1 (2014).
Loolo first appeared in X-Men Red V2 6 (2022).
Galura first appeared in Marvel Voices : Pride 2021. She’s the one who was dating Karma.
Nice mix of eras here.
I like how they have New Mutants inspired uniforms from the third volume, where the X goes pass their chests and onto their thighs. The Wolverines are teaching them. Loolo cuts Animalia with a knife, and the blood causes Wolf Club to just lose it. He’s full berserk mode here.
I do like how Bronze has a higher level of respect here, she’s one of Emma’s gals.
I just love that we get the Exceptional students together – Melee, Axo, Bronze, and Rift. They’re mornings could have started off nicer.
We’re introduced to the new Cerebro, it is an Empathy Engine, a cool name is probably incoming. It can detect mutants who have levels of unrest, depression, or isolation. It detects a French mutant, who is on the Luciano Vecchio variant cover that I bought (I’m getting four covers to this issue!). Mal is her name, or maybe it is short for something. Melee gives her an invitation. Mal has a white patch of hair against otherwise black hair. She also has a purple tail? I’m intrigued. Bronze welcomes her to Graymatter Lane.
So everyone has a role here. Axo’s machine detects a new mutant. Rift opens a . . . rift. Melee goes out. Bronze welcomes them in. I like that.
Bronze provides her full name, Mariama LaChance. Maybe Mal’s hair is black up top, and mostly white in the back? She has a very cute white cat plushie.
Some time later. Axo is definitely NOT moping. I like that we get the continuation of his friendship with Sophie that we first saw in the Hellfire Gala. Honestly, this comic just feels like the natural progression of everything that has come before it.
It also has that nice feeling any mutant can just appear here, that I loved so much from the Krakoa era.
Kitty arrives, she has a special mission for Axo. Sophie is coming along too. Axo is definitely not moping.
Verate Headquarters. Chicago, Illinois. Do I love this comic so much because Kitty is actually starring in it? Yes, I’m an easy guy to please, but how great is it that we’re getting a monthly comic with Kitty, after not seeing her since November of last year?!
Kitty is looking for parts. Axo doesn’t like being back to the place where he was tortured by Sinister, I don’t blame him. They hear a tapping.
Kitty introduces Bronze to . . . Marigold! A female clone of Lockheed. She has a gold splotch between her wings. I imagine Lockheed is out in space with his family, so Marigold is who we get to love on Earth. I can also only imagine we’ll get a scene of Marigold meeting Lockheed at some point. She seems aggressively fly over to Bronze, but then calms down.
But it does beg the question. Was that Lockheed we saw in Exceptional X-Men 10? They rescued him from a test chamber, then went back, and discovered Marigold? That must be the sequence of events, but how did they miss her the first time around?
They have to answer these questions, right?
I was worried the Lockheed they found, was a devious clone Sinister created to spy on Kitty, but turns out, that was Lockheed, and hopefully Marigold isn’t a devious clone Sinister created to spy on Kitty. I have some precautions so I don’t fall in love, but heck, Marigold is a cat size purple dragon shaped alien, I’m already built to love that type of dragon. I do appreciate that she has a physical distinction from Lockheed. I would rather it be something front facing so we know which is which on a cover, but also, I’m here for Marigold. Oh, and Kitty was going to name her Martin, for some reason, but Bronze went with Marigold. The only other Marigold I know is Midas’ daughter from Fortnite. Apparently, it is a flower.
Kitty catches up with 70s Beast, who is observing Wolf Club. Maybe the school based in an emotional prism is causing some big emotions? The Wolverines are here too.
The Factory. Merle, Alaska. X-MEN Headquarters. Glob is asking Cyclops about his reservations about Graymatter Lane. (Ideally, I’ll just learn the name of the school, it just feels very new). Cyclops is very against the school, and is burning it down, from what we can tell from the final page. It seems like he shouldn’t be able to have done that. Someone would have stopped him after the first blast, right? I think it is an artistic choice to show what he’s planning. Cyclops is being a real jerk here.
We’re getting Captain America next issue, in a fun time travel story involving Melee.
Graymatter Lane is a mental school, that you physically walk into, is how I’m understanding it. During the Danger Room, they mention how if you get hurt here, you are hurt there, so that’s interesting. We see people walking into the white doors, it isn’t like a place you think of, and then show up in. I think we need to see more of the transition.
Such a great first issue!
When it goes to second printing, and they combine the Stefano Caselli cover, I’m going to have to buy that.
I’m glad Jed MacKay doesn’t write the X-Men this way, but then again, his Age of Revelation was a pretty epic story, told over multiple pages, and issues. This issue is the Avengers talking at Kang, as he’s up to one of his classic Kang attacks. I think, I was looking for Storm, and any X-Men appearing. Storm gets a cool, “What is the meaning of anything, Kang,” with her hands on her hips. Kang, you are so lucky she isn’t stabbing you with all of her knives.
Scarlet Witch brings up friendships.
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We see Juggernaut and Quentin Quire playing baseball, and jerk me, immediately asks, “these two are who you show for the X-Men?!” But right below that panel, we see Magik talking to FalCap, and the rest of the X-Men and Avengers. I want to know more about those two talking? Does Magik keep bringing up his “boy / girl thing” that he said to her in Civil War II? Then she teleported him to Hollywood, and out of the fight? I bet she brings it up.
Avengers appear to defeat Kang, but then he asks which one of them will survive the death of this universe, so we’re still rocking Kang stories for the next two issues.
. . .
Writer Brian Michael Bendis
Penciler Mark Bagley
Inker Scott Hanna & John Dell
Colorist Frank D’Armata
Letterer Cory Petit
For this big anniversary issue, Brian Michael Bendis, and Mark Bagley, one of my all time favorite creative teams, came back for a fun little backup story. We get the Big Three – Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor, chatting it up. Fighting Viper, who I’ve liked ever since she married Logan, that one time. My one problematic fave. Hulk shows up. Captain Marvel shows up. Beast, having a big start to the year. Scarlet Witch, and Wasp. We get just the best final page ever, as it is the Avengers Anniversary, in-universe, and everyone shows up!
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Including Kitty Pryde, asking Logan, “uh, Logan? Is this an X-Men thing, or an Avengers things?” She’s the best, and we get our first Kitty Pryde of 2026!
X-Men I see : Sunfire, Sunspot, Namor, Cannonball, Logan, Kitty Pryde (not an Avenger, yet, maybe?), Quicksilver,
The People’s Princess, Crystal, is there, Tigra too. Moon Knight, She-Hulk, Monica Rambeau.
Dan Slot (A) Marcos Martin (CA) Muntsa Vicente (L) VC’s Joe Caramagna
Shadow and Flame with Magik 